The Culworth Gang in the 1780’s were the terror of Northampton and surrounding counties for nearly 20 years.  The gang consisted of about 15 individuals who chiefly resided at Culworth and adjacent villages.

The most prominent members were;
John Smith a labourer of Culworth, a man advanced in years but of great bodily strength, and his two sons John and William Smith.  William Abbott, the parish Clerk of Sulgrave, a shoemaker by trade who is said to have always carried pistols when performing his sacred office in church.  William Bowers, Richard Law, William Pettifer, William Terrill, Thomas Melbury and Richard Jack all from Culworth and all labourers except Law who was a carpenter.

There were other persons connected with the gang who occasionally aided them in their dangerous pursuits.  One of these was named Gilkes, he was the son of respectable parents in the neighbourhood and it is supposed that his motive for joining the gang was the excitement and romance that attended these excursions. From death and other causes the numbers of the gang fell off and the principle members consisted of the individuals above named.

To many, these pursuits must have been well known but none durst come forward to give evidence against them.  After a while however Law and Pettifer were in a public house in Towcester proposing to stay the night there, each bearing with him a bag supposed to contain fighting cocks.  When they went to bed, the landlord, from curiosity, opened one of the bags and found there two smock-frocks and a couple of masks, and having heard the of the numerous robberies in the neighbourhood by persons who were disguised in smocks and masks he sent for a constable.  It was however decided to take no further steps immediately. In a few days a report was spread that the house of a person named Mayho near Blakesley had been broken open during the night and all the valuables therein taken away by some robbers who wore smock-frocks and had their faces blackened.  The landlord and the constable then gave information and Law and Pettifer were committed to prison.

For some time the prisoners denied having been guilty of the robbery but being pressed and thinking that the connection of the gang had been broken, they impeached Bowers one of the gang who had planned the robbery and the rest of their confederates, who were immediately apprehended except Jack, who absconded.  On searching their houses a great quantity of stolen goods were found.  Many were also found in Sulgrave Church where they had been secreted by Abbott.

A catalogue of the articles found was made by the Reverend Michael O’Clare, which catalogue was advertised and Law, Pettifer, the elder Smith, Bower, Abbott, Terrill and the two young Smiths were committed to take their trial at Northampton Summary Assizes in 1787 upon various charges.  With the exception of Terrill and the young Smiths the prisoners were all committed and sentenced to death and the sentence was carried into execution upon the elder Smith, Bowers, Law and Pettifer on 3rd August 1787.  Abbott was transported for life.

After condemnation the prisoners made confession of 47 robberies.  Smiths last message to his sons warned them not to follow in their father’s footsteps.  ‘I desire’ he told his wife ‘that you will take care of these lines and cause them to be read to my children every Sabbath day, and I hope that God will give them grace to take warning.’

About two years after these executions John Smith the younger was apprehended for highway robbery committed near Gaydon Inn, and executed for the offence at Warwick.  Elizabeth Beere, a young woman who lived at Claydon, was deeply

attached to John Smith, and after his execution had his body delivered to her and with a donkey and a pair of panniers conveyed it to Culworth for internment there, leaving Warwick after nightfall.Of the rest of the gang, Jack absconded and was never more heard of, Melbury lived some years at Culworth and died there.  William Smith became an industrious and steady labourer.  The individual mentioned as having joined the gang from somewhat different motives thought it prudent to leave the country.  He went to the Indies where he is said to have amassed a considerable fortune.  After many years he yearned for his native land and took passage homeward but died shortly before he came on shore.  All enquiries respecting property left behind him proved useless.
Historical source: Beesley, 'History of Banbury'